Beggars Opera (band)
Beggar's Opera ( the second album Beggars Opera ) is a progressive rock group from Scotland, which was especially successful in the 1970s. The band's name refers to the satirical musical play The Beggar's Opera by John Gay.
Band History
The band was founded in Glasgow in 1969, signed a record deal with Vertigo Records, released four albums and broke up again in 1974. Mid-1970s, united Gordon Sellar, the band again and recorded some albums that appeared only in Germany. Beggars Opera managed 1970-1973, with three albums to write their chapter in rock history. Act One was heavily influenced by classical music and includes an edit of Overture by Franz von Suppé operetta Light Cavalry. Waters of Change received a folkloric flair through the use of (at the Mellotron ). The greatest success of the band was the eight minute long song Time Machine; this song was also in the beat clubs attention and it was like dancing to it. The song about the journey corresponded certainly very strong at that time of life a part of young people, especially in Germany. In Pathfinder, the third album, it was as usual to hear dreamy, melodic rock next to delicate Spinettklängen and rocking grooves. As a result, managed Beggars Opera no longer einzuspielen albums that found a comparable attention. Linnie Patterson replaced Martin Griffiths. Amid the recordings to Get Your Dog Off Me! Colin took over the Fairlie Drumsticks by Raymond Wilson.
After the final dissolution of the group part of the former members remained part of the international rock circus. The first bass player, Marshall Erskine, 1979 worked at Rock clown Jango Edwards, the same year appeared his successor Gordon Sellar at the Alex Harvey Band on. The keyboardist Alan Park was in the 1980s musical director Cliff Richard. 1975 married Virginia Scott and Ricky Gardiner and implemented in the following years, various projects, sometimes alone, sometimes together. Virginia Scott turned to classical music, she was honored for her work. Ricky Gardiner worked occasionally along with Iggy Pop and David Bowie. One morning he went with the guitar in the garden, adding there four chords on quite appealing way together. The guitar riff to the song The Passenger, Iggy Pop with his biggest hit, was born. Gardiner and Scott but also dealt with meditation music and using the computer as a musical instrument. It may seem like a cruel twist of fate that Ricky Gardiner for some years now can approach hardly modern electronic equipment, as it has developed an increased sensitivity to electromagnetic pollution. He must remain PCs, enterprise PCs, VHF radio and cell phones away, to drive even in modern cars or fly in an airplane it is no longer possible.
The son of the singer Martin Griffiths, Philip Griffiths, sings in the Mannheim prog rock band Alias Eye. On the first album of the group, which appeared in 2001, also has a duet with father and son. In addition to his involvement with Alias Eye Philip Griffiths also sings in the band Poor Genetic Material. On their 2010 album to published Iceland Noises ( a setting of Shakespeare's The Tempest ) acts as narrator and Martin Griffiths, who also designed the artwork. Published in 2011 Alias Eye In-Between the CD that contains the Beggar's Opera - Hit Time Machine and the Martin Griffiths and Philip Griffiths participate together.
About Ray Wilson, the wild man in a kilt, nothing is known. Several of the former members of the band now hold other professions and make music only as a hobby or regional events.